August 1, 2007Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy160 citations
View Full PaperAn update on the management of Chagas cardiomyopathy
Structured PICO
P
Population
Patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy
I
Intervention
Clinical diagnosis, staging, and management strategies including specific treatments for heart failure and arrhythmias
This review outlines current approaches to the clinical staging, diagnosis, and individualized management of heart failure and arrhythmias in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy.
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, infects nearly 18 million people in Latin America and mainly affects the heart, causing heart failure, arrhythmias, heart block, thromboembolism, stroke and death. In this review, the clinical diagnosis and management of Chagas cardiomyopathy are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the clinical staging of patients and the use of various diagnostic tests that may be useful in individualizing treatment of the two most relevant clinical syndromes, that is, heart failure and arrhythmias. The relevance of specific treatments are discussed, stressing the important role of parasite persistence in disease pathogenesis. We also discuss new therapy modalities that may have a role in the treatment of Chagas cardiomyopathy.